


The Oldest of Wounds Take Longest To Heal

by squidgie



Series: The Shrine of Painful Memories [4]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: comment_fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 19:33:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13981848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidgie/pseuds/squidgie
Summary: Set a few weeks after the previous chapter, written for Brumeier's prompt: Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Rodney gets a cold and John worries it's a relapse (post-Shrine)





	The Oldest of Wounds Take Longest To Heal

**Author's Note:**

> Mucho thanks to everyone for helping me get this fic out, especially Brumeier for her cheer leading and awesome prompts. Not betaed!

It had been a few weeks since the night Rodney's life changed. Looking back at it, it was like every aspect of Rodney's life had changed in that single moment. He'd kissed John, and held him all night, both men commenting that it was the best sleep they'd had since coming to Atlantis. And John had spent every night with Rodney ever since, patiently learning from each other every square inch of each other's bodies, and how a touch here, a lick there, could send the other into orbit.

But at the same time, nothing changed. They were still best friends and spent as much time together as possible. John still goaded Rodney during meetings, and Rodney still flicked John's ear when John got one over on him. The team hadn't changed at all, though Teyla had commented on how much more rested each man looked. And when they finally let Teyla and Ronon know, Teyla had expressed warmth and congratulations for their coupling. Ronon, looking nonplussed, just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Okay. Are you gonna eat that?" and then stabbed at half the baked potato Rodney had ignored in favor of his boar ribs.

Each morning they arose, John was first to get out of bed. Rodney would pull his head out from under his pillow, hugging John's close to himself as a poor substitute for John's body. "C'mon, Rodney," John would tease, then strip out of whatever he managed to put back on after the previous night's lovemaking, "shower time."

Usually, Rodney would be attentive, craving every inch of John's tanned flesh. But on this particular morning, Rodney remained still, opening only one eye to watch Sheppard's makeshift striptease. "Don't feel good," he said, then reburied his head and burrowed further under the covers.

"What's wrong?" John asked. The tone of his voice was completely different than it had been when he'd all but promised shower sex just seconds before. "You feeling okay?"

Rodney felt a dip in the mattress, so he peeked out from under the pillow again. "You okay?" John asked. The concern his voice held was palpable.

After clearing his throat, Rodney turned over and settled on his back. He reached over, letting his fingers caress the tight muscles of John's leg. Not that he didn't want the attention because last time John had been protective had led them to where they currently were. Plus, diversion blowjobs were _totally_ a thing. "I'm fine, really."

John looked at him, a frown on his face. "Get up. I'm taking you to see Biro."

At least John understood Rodney's hesitance to see Keller, so that was a plus.

"I'm fine, really," Rodney said. Besides, yes, he had a sore throat. But it was almost definitely due to John's enthusiasm in the shower the night before. Rodney got a little water down his sinuses, so that, added to the fact that John fucked Rodney's throat like a battering ram had caused a little tenderness. Not that Rodney would tell him, though. Watching John let go and give himself over to pleasure was damned hot.

"93,427," John said.

Rodney just looked at him, totally confused as to what was going on. "Huh?"

"Come on," John said with a roll of his hand. "93,427."

"What on earth-" Rodney said, and then stopped as two realizations popped into his head. "Prime," he said, then reached for John's elbow.

John studied him intently, then said "24-"

"John? I'm fine," Rodney said.

"24,823," John said, ignoring Rodney's declaration. 

Rodney took John's hand and pulled it to him, which caused John to lay down. He stretched out along Rodney's side, so Rodney raised a hand to John's cheek, leaned over, and kissed him gently. "The parasite's not back. It left no eggs, no trace, no nothing."

"I want to be sure," John whispered back. "I can't... Dammit, Rodney, I can't go through that again."

The confession hit Rodney harder than he thought it would. And while he can relive every moment of what happened to him while he had the parasite, he didn't realize how much it affected those around him. And as memories of how John treated him flooded back, he understood the impact that it'd had on him.

Rodney pulled John to him. He knew he couldn't change the past, but he could help make John feel a little better when it came to their future. He kissed John on the nose. "Tell you what," he said. "Let's go get that shower, and then we can stop in, and I can see Biro really quick. Then you owe me breakfast. Deal?"

John smiled cautiously, then let out a sigh. "Deal." He stood up and held out his hand, then pulled Rodney from the bed. And after one last kiss, and a playful whack on Rodney's backside, they both headed for the shower.


End file.
